The resolve not to return to sin.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : The fourth?
The student: The resolve not to return.
The Shaykh : The resolve not to return, and not to return.
The student: Not to return.
The Shaykh : What is the condition? That he does not return.
The student: The resolve not to return.
The Shaykh : The resolve, well, if I said the fourth condition is: not to return to sin, does this hold up, or does it not hold up?
The student: It does not hold up; the resolve not to return.
The Shaykh : And what is the difference?
The student: Because... the resolve is a firm resolve.
The Shaykh : A firm resolve, and not returning is stronger than the resolve. Well, take a break, yes, who is behind you?
The student: The difference between the first and the second: if we made the condition that he does not return, it would be an extra condition beyond mere resolve, because a person may resolve but his determination weakens and then he falls into it again. But the one who only resolves may fall into it. The one who does not return absolutely, this may be...
The Shaykh : Well, the difference becomes clear with an example: A man repented to Allah and resolved not to return, but his self weakened and he returned. Is his first repentance invalidated, or not? If we say that the condition is that he does not return, the repentance is invalidated; the first repentance was not valid. If we say the condition is the resolve not to return, then the first repentance is valid, but he must repent a second time from the last sin. Is that clear? So, is the condition that he does not return, or the resolve not to return? The resolve not to return is the condition, meaning he resolves not to return. So if he returns, his first repentance is valid and is not invalidated. But if we say the condition is that he does not return and he returned, the first repentance is invalidated. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us: : Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 38:8 So here, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) did not invalidate his repentance by his returning to the sin a second time, but He forgave him.
The student: The resolve not to return.
The Shaykh : The resolve not to return, and not to return.
The student: Not to return.
The Shaykh : What is the condition? That he does not return.
The student: The resolve not to return.
The Shaykh : The resolve, well, if I said the fourth condition is: not to return to sin, does this hold up, or does it not hold up?
The student: It does not hold up; the resolve not to return.
The Shaykh : And what is the difference?
The student: Because... the resolve is a firm resolve.
The Shaykh : A firm resolve, and not returning is stronger than the resolve. Well, take a break, yes, who is behind you?
The student: The difference between the first and the second: if we made the condition that he does not return, it would be an extra condition beyond mere resolve, because a person may resolve but his determination weakens and then he falls into it again. But the one who only resolves may fall into it. The one who does not return absolutely, this may be...
The Shaykh : Well, the difference becomes clear with an example: A man repented to Allah and resolved not to return, but his self weakened and he returned. Is his first repentance invalidated, or not? If we say that the condition is that he does not return, the repentance is invalidated; the first repentance was not valid. If we say the condition is the resolve not to return, then the first repentance is valid, but he must repent a second time from the last sin. Is that clear? So, is the condition that he does not return, or the resolve not to return? The resolve not to return is the condition, meaning he resolves not to return. So if he returns, his first repentance is valid and is not invalidated. But if we say the condition is that he does not return and he returned, the first repentance is invalidated. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us: